Guest post from Natasha Osborne at www.pathfinderagility.com
Did you know that there are no certification requirements to be a dog trainer? That means that anyone with or without dog knowledge can train dogs and get paid by the public without any accounting for their background or methods.
That doesn't mean there aren't some extremely talented trainers out there who aren't certified but choosing a trainer for your dog can also be challenging when there are no criteria or industry standards to follow.
So what do you do? How do you choose? Training dogs has changed considerably over the last 30 years or more and continues to evolve as science teaches us more about our canine companions and behaviorists continue to learn more about how dogs think, learn, and process information. There still continues to be many approaches to dog training and everybody will claim that theirs is the best method, but not all methods are science based or pain free.
The best rule of thumb is to choose somebody who is certified either through CCPDT (Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers) or IAABC (International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants). Both are certifying agencies who train dog trainers, require a background of up to 300 teaching hours, rigorous testing to assess knowledge, and continuing education requirements to maintain certification.
As a CPDT, I have had to demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of dog behavior and have also pledged to be a reward-based trainer who uses minimally invasive techniques. Reward based training does not mean that we throw treats at dogs like confetti and ignore bad behavior, it just means that we approach unwanted behavior by trying to show the dogs what we wish for them to do instead, and if we implement punishment, we do so generally by withdrawing something of value to the dog versus applying punishment to the dog (such as a shock collar or a pinch collar). Reward-based training works, but it does take time and commitment and, in our instant gratification society, a lot of people seek out the quick fix, often to the detriment of their relationship with their dog or with disastrous results down the road, when the dog becomes reactive or aggressive.
Over the last month, I have completed 29 hours of continuing education - quietly tucked away in my office learning from behavioral professionals around the world and continuing to grow my knowledge base. Every three years I am required to complete 36 hours to become re-certified, but every year I end up doing more than that as there's always an endless amount of good and new information that interests me.
If you're seeking out a trainer, look for somebody who is Certified. Find out what their background is, how they have learned to become a trainer, and what they may or may not specialize in. Are they reward based, or so-called balanced? Balanced trainers are implementing punishment and tend to use devices like shock collars or pinch collars to punish dogs into proper behavior rather than teach them the correct behavior.
If you're not sure where to start, go to the CCPDT website and look for trainers that are certified in your area. I am a firm believer that knowledge is power and the better trained your dog trainer is, the better hands your dog will be in!
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